How to Switch Which Side Your Refrigerator Door Opens

Traditional refrigerators can change on which side the door opens. Switching the side can be useful depending on the placement of your refrigerator in the kitchen, or whether or not you're left or right handed. This is also a good time to clean out your refrigerator, so plan on spending an hour cleaning, and a half hour actually switching the swing of your refrigerator door.

Step 1: Carefully slide out your refrigerator and unplug it. If you want to clean the refrigerator, now is the time to do so. Regardless of your decision, remove the food from the doors of the freezer and refrigerator.

Step 2: Take off the hinge cover at the top of the freezer door. Remove the screws beneath the hinge cover and set aside the hinge. Sometimes, instead of screws, you must remove bolts using a wrench.

TIP: If your freezer is on the bottom of the fridge, start with the fridge door first.

Step 3: Lift up and remove the freezer door. Set aside the door.

TIP: Often there are washers between the hinges and the doors. Save these to help level the doors as necessary.

Step 4: Unscrew the screws, or remove the bolt that holds the center piece between the refrigerator and freezer door in place.

Step 5: Lift up and remove the fridge door. Set aside the door.

Step 6: Remove the bottom piece that was supporting the fridge door.

Step 7: Remove the handles from the doors of the fridge and switch the sides. Normally, there is a piece of trim that conceals the holes on the other side. Use your owner's manual to figure out what trim should be removed and how it is attached.

Step 8: Place the bottom piece that supports the fridge door onto the other side of the fridge. Use the screws or bolts you removed in the previous step to secure the hinge.

Step 9: Place the fridge door on the bottom hinge. Place the middle hinge on top of the fridge door, making sure it lines up with the holes on the side of the fridge.

Step 10: Screw the middle hinge into place using the appropriate fasteners. Repeat these steps to secure the freezer door and the final hinge. Replace the top cap to conceal the top hinge.